The LED consumer may be the big winner in a patent suit settlement between Osram AG and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., as the companies will now explore the idea of partnering on future products. Osram and Samsung Electronics announced recently that they have settled numerous patent suits filed in a number of countries, including the US, Germany and South Korea, and will now license each other's LED portfolios. "We are glad to enter with Samsung in a new area of partnership-based competition," said Osram CEO Wolfgang Dehen. "With the patent suits now behind us, we look forward to building a strategic relationship with Osram on a number of different fronts," said Namseong Cho, executive VP and general manager of Samsung Electronics' LED business. "We believe the two companies now have an opportunity to significantly contribute to the LED industry and offer better products to our customers." The settlement deal was expected to be finalized by the end of August. For more information, visit: www.osram.com or www.samsung.com